Gut-out



(No Model.)

B. F. ROUT. ELECTRIC GUT-OUT.

PatentedNov. 1'7, 1896.

lll

"ill

UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ROUT, OF STANFORD, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOG. L. PENNY, OF SAVE PLACE.

CUTHUT.

SPECIFEOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,734, dated November17, 1896.

Application iilecl MMCh 27; 3951 To all whom, t may concern;

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN FENKLTN BOUT, residing at Stanford, in thecounty of Lincoln and State of Kentucky, have invented a new andImproved Electric Cut- Out, of which the following is a speeiiication.

This invention is an improved electric circuit-closer or cut-out.

The invention is particularly adapted for use in house-circuits, and isemployed to connect and disconnect the main line or streetcircuit withthe house-circuit.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an exceedingly cheapand simple form of circuit-closer or cut-out device which can be easilyset up and operated by any one without any possible danger.

Another object is to provide a circuit-closer or cut-out which shallconsist of very ii'ew parts, easily arranged, and not liable to get outoil order, there being but one spring in the entire device and nocoil-springs whatever.

Another object is to provide a circuit-closer er cut-out device of suchconstruction that when the house-circuit is cut oft' the line of passagein main line is direct; and a still further object is to provide acircuit-closer or cut-out device which shall be stronger, simpler, andmore durable than the circuit-closer or cut-outs now in common use.

lVith these various objects in view my invention consists in thepeculiar construction of the various parts and in their novelcombination or arrangement, all of which will be fully describedhereinafter, and pointed out in the claims In the drawings forming apart of this speciiication, Figure l is a view showing the invention inuse. Fig. 2 is a view showing the front of case removed,thehouse-circuit closed. Fig. 3 is a view showing the circuit open or thehouse-lines cut out. Fig. 4 is a section on the line il -1 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable boX or case A,preferably constructed of cast-iron or other metal, and the front andbottom are made separate and detachable. Asuitable base B, of slate,porcelain, or other non-conducting material, is rigidly connected withthe bottom of the ease and carries all Serial No. 585,123. (Noinodel thevarious parts of the appliance; and in constructing my improved cut-outl employ two metal contact-blocks C C, which are secured at oppositesides of the base B, near the bottom of same, said contact-blocks havingsuitable posts or other connections to receive and hold the main-linewires or conductors D, said wires being` connected with the outer endsof the said blocks, the inner ends thereof being' slotted or bifurcated,as shown at r, said slots being intended to receive a contactplate E,carried by the movable rod F, said red passing through an opening in thebottom of case and workin g through guides fj", attached to the base B,said plate E and slotted blocks C being so arranged that when the rod ispulled down the ends of plate lt will pass between the members of theblocks C C and close the main line or street-circuit, inasmuch as eachof said blocks are connected with the main-line conductors, as beforedescribed.

At opposite sides of Vthe base B near the top of same are arranged metalcontact-blocks G G,which are provided with suitable connections to unitewith the house-line circuit or conductors H H. The inner ends of theblocks G G are also slotted or bifurcated, as shown at h, the purpose ofsaid slots being to receive the metal contact-arms K K, pivotallyconnected at their lower ends to the contactblocks C C, and at theirupper ends are pivotally connected to the non-metallic togglelevers L L,the opposite ends of said levers being pivotally connected to thesliding rod F at a point above the metallic contact-plate The upper endof the rod F is reduced to provide shoulders f" f', which act as stops'against the upper guide f and limit the upward movement of the rod.

As the rod F is pushed upward the togglelevers are spread and thecontact-arms K K are forced into the slotted contact-blocks G G, andthereby close the connection between the main and house lines. Then saidrod is pulled down, however, the toggle-levers are drawn inward,and alsothe contact-arms K K, This draws the arms K out of blocks Gr and breaksthe connection between the house and main line, but at the same time thecontactplate E is moved into contact with blocks C C.

IOO

It will thus he seen that the eireuits are closed and opened hy siinplymoving` the rod up and down. The rod ean also have shoulders j/"2 nearthe lower ends to abut against the lower guide and serve to stop thedownward moveinent of said rod. In order to hold the rod and attachedparts in a raised position after they have been so adjusted, l einploy aspring M, fastened upon the front iaee of the hase B and bent hael: uponitself to provide a head m, which works in agroove on', inade in theopposing faee of the rod, so that when the rod is moved up to throw thearins in eontaet the head m will spring into the reeess and hold the rodagainst downward inoveinent. rlhis spring-head, however, is not stron genough to hold the rod against a pull exerted by the hand, so that it isnot necessary to release the spring by any auxiliary appliance, an extrapull at the start heing sulieient to release the rod.

All the operative parts are first seeured to the non-Conducting hase land then inserted in the ease, the binding posts or eenneetionsextending through the haelt ot' ease, so that the house and main wiresean he eonveniently attaehed. The front is then serewed on, andinasniueh as there are no deviees eonneeted with said trent it ean hequickly and easily removed and .replaced whenever desired.

It will thus he seen that l provide an exeeedingly eheap and simpletorni oit' eireuit- Closer or eut-out deviee and one which ean heoperated without danger oiaeeidents, and it will also he noted that whenthe house-l ines are eut out the eontinuity ot' the. niaiu line oreireuit is established.

By having the operating-rod between the eontaet bloels and arnis asimpler and niore el'l'eetive operation is seeured and t-he entiredevice ean be made to eeenpy less spaee.

llaving thus described iny invention, what ,f

I elaiin as new, and desire to seen re hy lyetters Patent, is

l. in a eireuit-eloser or eutont deviee, the non-Conducting hase, theupper and lower blocks, the sliding rod Carrying aeontaetplate, theContact-arms pivotally eonneeted to the lower eontaet-hloels, and nieansearried hy the operating-rod to lnove said eentaet-arlns into and out ofeontaet with the upper contact-blocks, substantially as shown anddeseribed.

In aeireuit-eloser, the non-eendueting hase, the upper and lowereontaet-plates slotted at their inner ends, the eontaet-arnis pivoted tothe lower eontaet-hloelis, the sliding rod Carrying a eontaet-plate, andthe arms or levers eonneeting the sliding rod and the Contact-arms,substantially as shown and deserilied.

2). lnaeir niiteloser,;i non-eonduetinghase, the upper and lowereontaet-hloelcs slotted at their inner ends, the eontaet-arnis pivotedto the lower eentaet-hloeks, the sliding rod, the Contact-plate carriedby said sliding rod, and the toggle arms or levers eonneeting said rodand eontaet-arlns, the guides in whieh said rods slide, and theshoulders upon said rod adapted to aet as stops, suhsta ntially as shownand described.

l-. In a eireuitseloser, the iioil-eoinlueting hase, the upper and lowerblocks, slotted at their inner ends, the sliding rod having a grooveupon the inner laee, said groovehaving a depression at one end, theeontaet plate and arnis, the toggle arms or levers and the springadapted to rest in said groove iu the rod, substantially as shown anddeserilied.

Jeux lV. Roer, Jr.,

